Device for preventing formation of ice on aeroplanes



June 4, 1929. c KOCH 1,716,276

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING FORMATION OF ICE ON AEBOPLANES Filed May 9, 1928 vINVENTOR. m Car/as Patented June 4, 1929.

UNITED STATE-S CHARLES KOCH, OE GLENDALE, NEW YORK.

DEVICE FOR PREVENTING FORMATION OF ICE ON AEROPLANES.

Application filed May 9, 1928. Serial No. 276,216.

This invention relates to improvements in aeroplanes, seaplanes, and thelike, especially adapted to prevent the formation of ice, or sleet,frozen rain or the like, due to inclement Weather when flying at.varying temperatures, for the purpose of eliminating a'forced landingwhich would be fatal when flying over a body of Water.

The ob'ect of the invention is toprovide an ice preventing device whichemploys the hot exhaust gases from the motor used to propel theaeroplane and which by means of suitable valves and connected pipingtransfers the said gases into the hollow wings of the aeroplane, therebyheating the wing surface preventing the formation of the above mentioneddetriments on the wing surface.

A further object of the invention is to provide a device of the classdescribed embodying certain new and novel features hereinafter morefully described, claimed and illustrated inthe accompanying drawings.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of an aeroplane equipped with my'improved device.

Fig. 2 is a top plan view thereof.

Fig. 3 is an enlarged detail fragmentary view of a portion of the deviceas shown in Fig. 1.

Fig. 4 is an enlarged top plan view of the motor employed to propel theaeroplane showing in particular my improved device attached thereto.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken on the line 6-6 ofFig. 3.

In Figs. 1 and 2 of the accompanying drawing, I have shown an aeroplaneof the usual biplane type comprising briefly a body 10, provided withcockpits 11 and 12, adapted to accommodate the operators, navigators andpassengers of the aeroplane. The said aeroplane is also provided withthe usual steering members 13, 14. and 15. operatively connected to thecontrol mechanism. A landing gear 16 provided with suitable tired wheels17, and a tail skid 18, for the purpose of taking to the air from theground and for landing on the ground. The usual wing 19 is secured tosuitable struts 20 and 21, suitably braced and extended upwardly fromthe body 10, for the purpose of providing the required lifting eflortfor flying in the air. The usual propeller 22 is positioned in front ofthe body 10, and is rigidly secured to the forward extended portion ofthe crank shaft 23 of the motor 24 employed to propel the abovedescribed aeroplane.

The above described construction does not necessarlly constitute amaterial part of my lnvention but is here merely illustrated anddescribed for the purpose of more clearly defining my improved device.It is under stood that my invention is not necessarily limited to use inconnection with flying .machines of the particular type here describedbut to all classes and types of heavier than air fiylng machinesemploying an internal combustion motor as a, propelling agent.

It is to be .understood that the hollow wing 19 is sub-divided by aplurality of partitions 19 to guide the warm air entering into the wingsso as to equally distribute the warm air. e

The above mentioned motor 24 is of the usual internal combustion. typeand is provided with the usual exhaust manifold 26, into which theexhaust gases of the motor are discharged, which exit through theexhaust valve ports when the exhaust valves of the motor are opened inthe usual valve operating mechanism, the latter mentioned elements notbeing shown in the accompanying drawmg.

As here embodied, my improved device comprises a valve body 30,substantially of tubular construction, provided with a flanged lowerextremity 31 as a means of securing the valve bodyto the flangedextremity 32 of the tubular member 33 or exhaust pipe similarlyconnected by means of the ,flanged extremity 34 of the exhaust pipe 33to the flanged extremity 35 of the above mentioned exhaust manifold 26.

A valve rod 36 is rotatively mounted in the lug element 37 of the valvebody 30a and in the support 38 secured as at 39 to the upper open end ofthe valve body 30. The valve rod' 36 is provided With a threadedintermediate portion 41, coaxially disposed in the valve body 30. Avalve proper 40 is of disc like construction, has formed therein anaxial aperture suitably threaded to receive the threaded portion 41 ofthe valve rod 36.

The valve proper 40 is provided with a frusto conical shape extension 42adapted to engage a corresponding valve seat 43 formed in the inwardlyextended element of the valve body 30.

A slide valve 40 is also provided with an axial aperture suitablythreaded to engage the threaded portion 41 of the valve rod 36. Theslide valve 40 is provided with a pair of apertures 42 which are alignedwith port holes 43 in the valve body 30. The rotation of the valve rod36 regulates the amount of warm air entering the extended side elements55 and 56, and the excess air is allowed to exhaust through valve 40.

The valve rod 36 is extended somewhat below the lug element 37 of thevalve body and has secured thereto a bevel pinion 44 adaptcd to meshwith a similar bevel pinion 45 secured to the stub shaft 46 rotativelymounted in the bracket 47, secured'as at 48 to the valve body 30 andextended therefrom.

A suitably flexible joint 49 such as commonly used for control rods soas to provide angularly relative to the said control rod and themechanism to which same is connected, 1s secured to the extendedextremity of the stub shaft 46 and to the control rod 50. The controlrod 50 is somewhat angularly disposed from the flexible coupling 49, andis rotatively mounted in a bracket 51 secured as at 52 to any suitableconvenient portion of the body 10 of the aeroplane, so as to permit thehand wheel 54 secured to the extended extremity of the control rod 50 tobe located or positioned within convenient reach of the operator ornavigator of the aeroplane.

The valvebody 30 is provided with opposlte extended side elements 55 and56, of tubular construction having suitably connected thereto, at theirextended extremities valve bodies 57 of hollow elbow construction.Valves 59 and 60, of the damper type, of disc shape construction, aresecured to'the valve rods 61 and 62, rotatively mounted in the valvebodles 57 and transversely disposed therein. Levers 63 and 64 aresecured to the outer extended extremities of the valve rods 61 and 62,respectively, and are extended therefrom, and have pivotally attachedthereto, at their extended extremities links 65 and 66, similar-1yattached to the free extremities of the heat control elements 67 securedas at 69 at their opposite extremities to the valve bodies 57.

Valve bodies 71 and 72 oftubular construction are secured to the abdvementioned and described valve bodies 57, and are provided withintermediate extended elements 73 and 74 of tubular construction. Valves75 of the damper type are secured to valve rods 77 and 78 rotativelymounted transversely in the elements 73 and 74, respectively. Levers 79and 80 are secured to the valve rods 77 and 78, re spectively, and havepivotally secured theretoat their extended extremities links 81 and 82,similarly secured to the free extended extremities of the heat controlelements 83, respectively, secured as at 85 and 86' at their oppositeextremities to the valve bodies 71 and 72.

Tubular members 77 and 78 are connected to the above mentioned valvebodies 71 and 72 and are connected to the under portion of the abovementioned wing 19 of the aeroplane. It is understood that the wing 19 isof the usual hollow construction, and has formed therein at the extremerear edge thereof a plurality of apertures 79.

It is obvious from the foregoing description that by manual manipulationof the valve proper 40 that any desired portion of the exhaust gasesfrom the motor 24 may be diverted through or .into the elements 55 and56 of the valve body 30. The heat control elements 67 and 68 closing thevalves 59 and 60, when the said valve bodies are heated to any extremelyhot temperature by the said exhaust gases, as a means of preventingexcessive hot gases from passing through the valve bodies 57.

lVing nuts 61' and 77 are provided to secure the dampers 59, 60 and 75,respectively in any desired position when thermostatic control iseliminated.

The said exhaust gases then pass into the valve bodies 71 and 72, and inevent the said valve bodies become extremely hot due to the heat fromthe said exhaust gases, the heat control elements 83 will automaticallyopen the valves 75 due to the heat of the said valve mospherictemperature, to enter the valve bodies 71 and 72, as a means of coolingthe said exhaust gases therein, which pass therefrom through the saidtubular members 87, and enter the cavity in the wing 19, and issuetherefrom throughthe apertures 89. It is understood that theautomatically operated valves 59, 60, 75 are provided to preventexcessively hot exhaust gases from entering the cavity of the wing 19which would cause a fire, or might warp or otherwise injure the wingmaterial.

While I have shown and described the preferred embodiment of myinvention, it is to be understood that I do not limit myself to theprecise construction herein disclosed and the right is reserved to theuse of any heat supply or source of warm air and to all other changesand modifications coming within the scope of the invention as defined inthe appended claims.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim as new and desire toprotect by Letlters Patent of the United States is as folows 1. In adevice of the class described a means for preventing the formation ofice on the.

to regulate the warm air passing thru the extended elements and saidfrusto conical valve adapted .to allow the excessive Warm air to exhaustin the atmosphere, dampers attached to said extended members forcontrolling a predetermined amount of cool air to mix with the warm air.

2. In a device of the class described a means for preventing theforn'iation of ice on the wing of an aeroplane, said device constructedso as to employ some source of heat supply, conducted to partitionedcompartments Within the Wings of the aeroplane, a valve body providedwith a manually operated valve,

said valve body having extended elements, means for controlling theamount of Warm air passing thru the extended elements, said meanscomprising a pair of valves, one arranged to regulate the warm airpassing thru the extended elements and the other arranged to allow theexcessive warm air to exhaust in the atmosphere, dampers attached tosaid extended members for controlling a predetermined amount of cool airto mix with the Warm air.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

CHARLES KOCH.

